Medicine is a life long commitment to learning. The learning process that the physician goes through is for humanistic purposes and our calling is to tend to the ill and the most vulnerable around us. I began learning about people’s vulnerabilities at a young age. As a volunteer in a care home and having worked at clinics abroad, I saw first hand the effects of disease on an individual. Furthermore, I saw the consequences that poverty had on the health of an individual. I have tried to learn how to help people in need of assistance throughout my life and from a wide array of teachers.
My first inspiration towards medicine and the art of healing occurred when I was a teenager. I had many medical problems due to an auto accident where my right hand sustained a crush injury. The constant tortuous treatments played a significant role in my development. At the age of thirteen I had to relearn basic tasks such as writing with my left hand. The therapy and rehabilitation was a hard journey with nine surgeries, but has largely been successful. One of the things that impressed my most during treatments was the healing power of kindness and good bedside manners. The humbleness of a physician and the portrayal of seemingly unconditional love for the practice of healing changed my life and made me realize many things about healing. I believe that many treatments are aided in no small part by a physician’s demeanor. Doctors that are patient and willing to explain treatments likely get better compliance from their patients, but their enthusiasm and tact also plays an important role in mending the psyche.
Presently I am enrolled in an Honour’s BioMedical Science course. I choose this course due to its similarity to medicine. While at university I learned many molecular and biochemical techniques such as PCR and electrophoresis. I’ve also learned the science behind the many imaging modalities we use today. Importantly, I have also been immersed in genetic engineering and electrophysiology methods. My program frequently shared lectures with the medical students and I have also been exposed to in depth courses on physiology and pharmacology. Finally, I am also very interested in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology. However, despite my interest in the scientific and research side of medicine, my calling is towards clinical medicine. Patient interaction is key to creating a healthy society. Translating the research data to clinical practice is important in ultimately proving the theories that are developed from research.
I have worked in a wide range of health care settings and have learned the intricacies of dealing with varied patient populations. While working in a care home, I helped individuals with learning disabilities. My duties involved watching and caring for patients, helping the medical and nursing staff as an orderly when the need arose, and immersing myself in the role of patient care giver. Furthermore, I volunteered in clinics overseas where I gained valuable insight into diverse populations and the different tolls on human health that occur in different parts of the globe. I have experience in various medical areas and combined with my background in the hard sciences, I think this will make me a well-rounded physician. My experiences have taught me that patience and persistence are key attributes to delivering excellent patient care.
My ultimate goal is to become and excellent physician. Excellence requires both a commitment to the science and its learning processes as well as compassion towards the patient who is going through difficult times. Management of health is key to quality of life and it is my goal to help people stay healthy. My experiences have taught me the meaning of graciousness, respect, and discipline in medicine, and I relish the opportunity to apply my skills to the widest number of people possible and make an impact on their lives.
